Perfect start with road double victories

It was a perfect start to the 2024 NBL1 season for the Pioneers Men and Women, returning from an opening round road double with two wins apiece.

Bowing out at preliminary final stage last season, the OneFortyOne Pioneers Women started their 2024 campaign with a 85-68 victory over the Sandringham Sabres.

An arm wrestle for three quarters, it was in the final quarter that the cream rose to the top to set up the lop-sided scoreline.

There was nothing more to separate the two teams than six points through the first three quarters and at three quarter time it was Mount Gambier clinging to the narrow 60-59 advantage.

But from there it was all the Pioneers as they produced 25 points to nine in the final period to end up opening their season with the 17 point win.

Coming off her standout season at the Townsville Fire in the WNBL, Zitina Aokuso was tremendous for Mount Gambier with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Sherrie Calleia also had an impact with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals with Isabella Brancatisano adding 17 points and seven boards, Haliegh Reinoehl 14 points and four rebounds, and Samantha Fatkin 14 points, six boards and three assists.

The girls made it two from two when they took on the Waverley Falcons on Sunday, securing a 95-66 victory.

Again it was a tight opening half with the Pioneers only three points clear at the main break but rather than waiting to the final quarter, it was in the third that the Pioneers made their move, putting up 34 points to 21.

Add to that, an 18 point to five in the final period and the Pioneers ended up securing the 29 point victory to go 2-0 after two games on the road inside 24 hours.

Brancatisano was the team’s top scorer with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals while knocking down five from 11 from three-point range.

Reinoehl also had 22 points and six rebounds while hitting 3/5 from deep with Calleia contributing 19 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals, and Aokuso 18 points, nine boards, five assists and three blocked shots.

The Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers Men also started strongly, starting their 2024 campaign with a 97-79 win over the Sandringham Sabres.

After a high scoring opening quarter from both teams, the Pioneers blew the game open in the second quarter with 27 points to 11 including scoring 13 consecutive points to lead by as much as 19, and be up 55-36 by half-time.

It was an even scoring second half between the two teams but Mount Gambier had set the win up and went on to secure the 18 point victory.

Akech Aliir top-scored for the Pioneers with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots while hitting three from six from beyond the arc.

Coming off an NBL season at the Adelaide 36ers and a representative stint for the national team, reigning club MVP Nick Marshall had 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Christian Peevy contributed 19 points and four rebounds with Ausin Shelley adding 12 points, five boards, three assists and two steals, and Titus Robinson 10 points and six rebounds.

It was a tougher assignment against the Waverley Falcons with the seesawing contest never seeing either team able to break through for a double figure lead.

Mount Gambier went on a 10-0 scoring run to end up leading by as much as eight points in the final period and held out the Falcons for the eventual four-point victory.

Marshall put in another strong showing in the win for the Pioneers with 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

Shelley added 12 points and two steals for Mount Gambier, Titus Robinson 11 points and 11 rebounds, Dylan Marshall eight points and three boards, and Aliir pulled down 13 rebounds to go with four blocked shots.

The Pioneers host the Frankston Blues at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre on April 13.

RESULTS:

Mount Gambier 85 (Calleia 19, Aokuso 17, Brancatisano 17) d Sandringham 68 (Wischer 20, Nakkasoglu 17, Lopes 13)

Mount Gambier 95 (Brancatisano 23, Reinoehl 22, Calleia 19) d Waverley 66 (Ernst 20, Thompson 13, Todhunter 13)

Mount Gambier 97 ((Aliir 22, Marshall 20, Peevy 19)) d Sandringham 79 (Blogg 19, Asuncion-Byrd 18, Koppens 18)

Mount Gambier 67 (Marshall 23, Shelley 12, Robinson 11) d Waverley 63 (Vasiljevic 20, Meunier 18, McCarthy 8)